Strapping kit



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Dec. 12, 1967 B. D. MORGAN 3,357,425

STRAFPING KIT Filed Oct. 22, 1965 IO I INVENTOR.

United States Patent Ofifice 3,357,425 Patented Dec. 12, 1&6?

3,357,425 STRAPPING KIT Burton D. Morgan, Hudson, Ohio, assignor to Morgan Adhesives Company, Stow, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Oct. 22, 1965, Ser. No. 501,076 3 Claims. (Cl. 128-156) This invention relates to a strapping kit, and more particularly to a sheet of pressure sensitive adhesive precut to a plurality of shapes which may be sequentially applied to a persons anatomy to provide strength and support to that portion of the anatomy, with the precut shapes allowing the job to be done quickly and easily with a proper type wrap.

vHeretofore it has been known that there are many and various types of wrapping or strapping techniques for supporting and strengthening portions or" a persons anatomy such as the ankles, wrists, knees, shoulders, elbows, etc. where pressure sensitive adhesive cloth tape normally taken from rolls is used in a trial and error, pull off a portion and tear manner, to achieve the desired wrap. Naturally, this results in each and every wrap being slightly different because each wrap is a creation in and of itself. Each wrap is also tedious and difficult because all the material necessary for the wrap must be normally unrolled and torn to a desired length from the roll, and even split or be otherwise shaped before being applied to the anatomy. Sometimes, in order to somewhat lessen this problem, trainers precut the usual length needed from the adhesive rolls so that they can more quickly and efficiently complete the desired wrap of ankle, knee, etc. However, this still results in a time consuming operation, and rather inefficient wraps, again because the tape is not actually designed for the particular wrap being applied.

Therefore, it is the general object of the present invention to avoid and overcome the foregoing and other difliculties of and objections to prior art practices'by'the provisions of a unique strapping kit wherein each piece of pressure sensitive adhesive tape necessary to achieve a particular wrap of a persons anatomy is precut from a large sheet of tape to the requisite size and shape necessary so that a sequential application of the precut shapes in a proper order will achieve a superior and uniform wrap of the particular section of the persons anatomy for which it was designed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a unique strapping kit where the adhesive tapes are shaped from precut dies and covered with a protective paper to achieve a standardization of treatment, and thereby a savings of time and cost in tape preparation for application to a persons anatomy.

A further object of the invention is to provide a strapping kit where each of the necessary shapes for a particular strapping operation are precut from a pressure sensitive adhesive layer, and held in relative position in their precut relationship by a release protective covering paper layer.

The aforesaid objects of the invention and other objects which will become apparent as the description proceeds are achieved by providing a strapping kit which includes the combination of a large sheet of cloth precut to form a plurality of shapes which can be sequentially applied to effect a supporting wrap on a portion of a persons anatomy, pressure sensitive adhesive means covering one complete side of the cloth, and a release paper covering and protecting the adhesive means unitl it is used, and holding the shapes in position relative to each other.

For a better understanding of the invention reference should he had to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a strapping kit for a persons ankle which represents a preferred embodiment of the invention for an ankle strapping kit;

FIG. 2 is a greatly enlarged vertical cross sectional view of the kith of FIG. 1 taken on line 22 thereof; and

FIGS. 3 through 6 are schematic illustrations of how the particular kit illustrated in FIG. 1 is applied to a persons ankle to achieve a uniform and extremely effective wrap thereof, both for support and strength.

With reference to the form of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates generally a strapping kit which comprises a large base sheet of cotton based duck type fabric 12, of the type which is normally utilized in cloth based adhesive tapes applied to a persons anatomy. The fabric 12 is normally more than 50% cotton and may have a thickness of from between about .006 to about .015 inch, as seen in FIG. 2. It may be coated or treated with various waterproofing or other strengthening type materials to enhance its appearance or strength properties.

In order to secure the fabric 12 to a persons anatomy, a pressure sensitive adhesive layer 14 covers one entire side thereof and impregnates somewhat into the fabric 12, in the usual manner known in the art. The adhesive layer 14 is preferably pressure sensitive, and may be of the type based with acrylic resins, or of the type based with natural rubbers or synthetic rubbers combined with tackifying agents of, for example, the polyturpine family. Thus, the layer 14 in combination with the cloth 12 provides a pressure sensitive adhesive cloth of great strength and adhering qualities.

In order to protect the layer 14, a sheet of backing paper 16 normally provided with a silicone coating or other type release coating 17 seen in FIG. 2 completely covers the adhesive layer 14, as more clearly shown in FIG. 2. The adhesive layer may preferably be between about .002 inch to about .004 inch in thickness, while the paper protective layer 16 may be between about .003 to about .006 inch in thickness, all in the usual ranges known in the art.

In order to provide an important improvement in the art of ankle strapping, the sheet 12 is precut, preferably by dies, although other suitable means to achieve the cuts may be utilized, to the plurality of distinct and separate shapes indicated in FIG. 1. Specifically, the shapes indicated by numbers 1 through 7 in FIG. 1 are provided, with the cuts along lines indicated generally by numerals 18 extending clear through the fabric layer 12, and the adhesive layer 14 in all instances, and in some instances may extend through the paper layer 16, as is indicated particularly with shape number 1 in FIG. 2. In the preferred instance, the paper layer 16 will not be cut, as this will serve to hold the precut shapes 1 to 7 in this instance in relation to each other. However, the normal tackiness of the adhesive layer 14 will hold the shapes relative to each other even if the layer 16 is cut, as indicated by shape 1.

The particular shapes 1 through 7 illustrated in FIG. 1 are designed to achieve an angle wrap for support and strengthening of an ankle in the usual manner known today for promoting the healing of ankle strains, or in fact to prevent ankle strains from occurring. It is an important feature of the invention that each of the shapes 1 through 7 are particularly numbered in accordance with the sequence in which they are to be applied to the ankle.

Thus, with reference to FIG. 3, it is seen that first strip 1 is applied as a stirrup starting from above the ankle on one side and extending under the bottom of the persons foot 20 and up the other side. A U or hoseshoe shaped felt pad 22 may be applied around the external malleolus associated with every persons ankle if the sprain is external, or over the internal malleolus if the sprain is internal.

Next, the shape number 2 is applied with its lower boarder level with the tip of the external malleolus. The ends of this shape are split at 24 and 26, and a notch 28 is pro vided to fit over the Achilles tendon. The split ends or tails of the strip are also lettered 2a through 2d, respectively to indicate how they are wrapped alternatingly firmly around the ankle with the tails interlocking in the manner indicated in FIGS. 4 and 5. Then, shape 3 is passed around as indicated in FIG. 6 to form a second vertical stirrup applied in overlapping relationship with shape 1. The particular wrap may then be completed with the application of shape 4 as a second horizontal strip, split at the ends and notched as strip 2 and usually positioned slightly below strip 2 on the ankle in order to provide a firm support thereof with the tails 4a through 4d then alternately wrapped in interlocking relationship as indicated with strip 2 in FIGS. 4 and 5. The strips 5, 6 and 7 may then be alternately applied to securely hold down loose ends or to further enhance the Wrap as selectively desired. Naturally, regular rolled adhesive tape can then be used to complete and finally strengthen the wrap, it such is desired.

It is seen that the single large sheet of fabric 12 and pressure sensitive adhesive layer 14 is precut to a plurality of shapes necessary to achieve the wrapping of a particular section of'a persons anatomy. The shapes are numbered in accordance with their sequential application to achieve the wrap so that anyone may quickly and easily achieve a strong anduniform wrap of the particular section of the anatomy to which the shapes were precut. It must be understoodthat the shapes and the number thereof will vary dependent upon the particular section of the anatomy to which the strapping wrap is to be applied. The precut may extend through the release and protective paper layer it it is desired to allow several shapes to be stacked in relation to each other to be easily carried and used as necessary without carrying the whole kit in sheet form.

Naturally, the kit may be made very simply and inexpensively in mass production thus saving time and insuring a standard wrap for all the usual strengthening and supporting needs of a persons anatomy.

While in accordance with the patent statutes only one best known embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail it is to be particularly understood that the invention is not limited thereto or thereby, but that the inventive scope is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a strapping kit the combination of a large sheet of cloth precut to form a series of separate and distinct shapes which can be sequentially applied to effect a supporting wrap on a portion of a persons anatomy, each of the precut shapes of cloth is marked to indicate the sequence in which it is to be used,

pressure sensitive adhesive means covering one complete side of the cloth, and

a release paper covering the adhesive means until it is used, said release paper holding the shapes in relative position in thir precut relationship.

2. A kit according to claim 1 the shapes extend fully through the cloth and the adhesive means to make each shape completely separate from each other shape, but where all shapes are held in precut relation by the release paper.

3. In a strapping kit the combination of a large sheet of cotton duck type cloth,

a pressure sensitive adhesive covering one surface of the cloth and impregnating thereinto, said cloth and adhesive being precut to define a series of separate shapes which when sequentially applied and secured by the adhesive to a portion of a persons anatomy will provide strength and support because of the particular shapes, and

a release paper covering and protecting the adhesive until it is used, and holding the shapes in position relative to each other.

ReferencesCited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,431,203 11/1947 Sebastian l28l56 2,440,235 4/1948 Solomon l28--l57 2,646,040 7/1953 Stanton 128-155 ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner.

where the cuts defining. 

1. IN A STRAPPING KIT THE COMBINATION OF A LARGE SHEET OF CLOTH PRECUT TO FORM A SERIES OF SEPARATE AND DISTINCT SHAPES WHICH CAN BE SEQUENTIALLY APPLIED TO EFFECT A SUPPORTING WRAP ON A PORTION OF A PERSON''S ANATOMY, EACH OF THE PRECUT SHAPES OF CLOTH IS MARKED TO INDICATE THE SEQUENCE IN WHICH IT IS TO BE USED, PRESSURE SENSITIVE ADHESIVE MEANS COVERING ONE COMPLETE SIDE OF THE CLOTH, AND A RELEASE PAPER COVERING THE ADHESIVE MEANS UNTIL IT IS USED, SAID RELEASE PAPER HOLDING THE SHAPES IN RELATIVE POSITION IN THEIR PRECUT RELATIONSHIP. 